The technology behemoth has outlined straightforward procedures for users, requiring mere minutes to implement
Sophie Buchan, Money and Lifestyle Writer
03:00, 07 Feb 2026
For those beleaguered by incessant spam calls, an elegant solution exists to abate this nuisance, potentially safeguarding your financial health.
Indeed, certain fraudsters possess a disconcerting degree of persuasion, capable of acquiring your personal information in mere moments, leaving your bank account precariously vulnerable.
It is crucial to recognise that scams do not solely target the elderly; in fact, younger demographics are increasingly susceptible as the sophistication of criminal methodologies escalates. Being tech-savvy does not grant immunity.
What steps should you undertake? Users may employ the integrated Silence Unknown Callers feature available on their iPhone. Additionally, alternative measures exist for those who seek them. Here is your guide.
How to screen or silence unknown callers
Navigate to Settings, subsequently selecting Apps. Then tap on Phone or FaceTime.
Decide how you wish to manage incoming calls from unrecognised numbers—those not stored in your contacts.
- Phone app: Scroll to Screen Unknown Callers, and choose either Never, Ask Reason for Calling, or Silence. “Never” allows calls from unrecognised numbers to ring normally; “Ask Reason for Calling” screens them (the caller is queried about their intent before your phone rings); while “Silence” suppresses these calls and diverts them to voicemail.
- FaceTime: Activate Silence Unknown Callers, which ensures calls from unfamiliar numbers are silenced and redirected to voicemail.
Filter unknown callers
- Access Settings, then navigate to Apps. Select Phone or FaceTime.
- Scroll to Call Filtering and enable Unknown Callers. This action relocates missed calls and voicemails from unidentified numbers to your Unknown Callers list.
- To peruse your Unknown Callers list in the Phone app or FaceTime, tap the Filter button and select Unknown Callers. This will appear in the Recents tab under Classic view and in the Calls tab under Unified.
Silence spam callers
- Proceed to Settings, and select Apps. Choose Phone or FaceTime.
- Scroll to Call Filtering and activate your spam filter. Phone app: Engage Spam. Calls identified as Spam or fraudulent by your provider are silenced, sent to voicemail, and placed in your Spam list. FaceTime: Activate FaceTime Spam. Calls flagged as Spam or fraudulent are suppressed and added to the Spam list.
- To examine your Spam list, tap the Filter button, then select Spam. In the Phone app, this will be visible in the Recents tab under Classic view and in the Calls tab under Unified.
Essential Actions
Apple advises that if you activate any of these features, it is imperative to save recognised numbers in your Contacts, ensuring that critical calls, such as those from family, friends, educational institutions, workplaces, or healthcare providers, reach you.
“If you contact emergency services, call screening will deactivate for 24 hours,” the company cautions.
Register with the Telephone Preference Service
After updating users on December 26, 2025, Apple is not alone in its efforts to mitigate unwanted communications. Experts from Citizens Advice encourage individuals to register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS).
Upon signing up, your number will be added to the registry of individuals who opt out of receiving marketing and sales calls. It is illegal for marketers, domestically or internationally, to contact numbers inscribed with TPS.
However, it is essential to note: “Registration will not eliminate automated marketing calls, known as ‘computer-generated calls.’ The law applies only to human operators, not machines. Consult your telephone service provider regarding measures to curtail these calls.”
To expedite your registration, you can complete the TPS online registration form on their website. You will need the following information:
- Your phone number
- Your postcode
- Your email address
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